Multiple copying-machine.



. W. STABLBFORD.

MULTIPLE COPYING MAOHINE.

QPLIUATION YILPD NOV. 11, 1909. 982,543. l Patented Jan 24, 1 911..

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W. STABLBPORD. MULTIPLE COPYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11.. 1909. 982,543, l Patented .nm 24, 1911.

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4W. STABLEFORD. MULTIPLE OOPYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION Hmm 110111. 190s.

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UNITED sTATEs y PATENT oEEIcE.

WILLIAM STABLEFORD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE ROTEX MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

MULTIPLE COPYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM STABLEEORD, of 57 Holborn Viaduct, in the city of London, England, merchant, a subject of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Multiple Copying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in.

multiple copying machines and more particularly to the machine described in my speciiication Serial No. 515450, and it has for its object improved means for supporting and appl ing tension or drag to the roll of paper anc to accommodate the various widths of paper, improved means for feeding the letters (or other documents to be copied) to the copying rollers, and improved means for actuating the paper cutting mechanism whereby the paper may be severed in similar lengths, or in any suitable dissimilar ,lengths1 and with rectangular cut edges.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a general side view of the improved copying machine. Fig. 2. is a detached view of the letter feeding mechanism. Fig. 3. is a detached side view and Fig. 4. is a front view partly in section of the apparatus for actuating the paper cutting mechanism. Fig. 5. is a vertical section illustrating the paper cutting mechanism. Fig. 6 is a front view of the paper draw roller or cylinder and guard which feeds and guides the paper to the cutting mechanism. Fig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating one of the paper roll supporting` pins.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the damped l paper a passes upward from the damping appliance Z) over an elevated roller c and downward to the copying rollers Z d. The roller c is carried in a frame or frames c which is or are pivoted at c to the main frame j', said frame c being movable from the copying rollers by swinging the saine upon its pivots e in order to facilitate the threading of the paper between the copying rollers d el when a new roll of paper has been fitted. The roller c is located above the level of the copying roller rl so as to provide a bight of the paper a on the roller d in a convenient position to receive the letter, or other document to be copied, between vthe paper and the roller d. Atcached to the two ends of the copying roller (Z, or fixed upon its shaft d, are two cams g and L. The cam g is designed to permit a feed pressure roller z' to be pressed upon the roller d and grip the letter which has previously been placed in position by hand upon the table z". The roller z' is carried in a frame g pivoted at g2 and is rocked in one direction by the cam g by means of the arm g3 and anti-friction wheel g4, and in the opposite direction by the spring g5. The cam L is designedto actuate a swinging frame 7L in order to bring a number of ingers z fixed thereto into position, and this is effected by means of a pair of arms ha fixed to a rock shaft It* and connected by links h5 to the frame L which is pivoted at la, one of said arms ha being fitted with an anti-friction wheel running on the cam h and a spring las to effect the return motion. The frame g is also provided with lingers g@ which interlace with the lingers h2 and thus form at their intersecting point a sto for the letter which is laid upon the table z, with its forward edge in contact with the interlacing lingers. Upon the machine being set in motion the fingers 71.2 swing away and permit the letter to drop on to the roller rZ; the pressure roller z' then descends and presses t-he letter on to the roller cl and simultaneously the fingers g guide the forward end of the letter downwardly between the damped paper a and the roller Z so that it becomes drawn in with the paper between the rollers Z d. In the meantime the frames g and L have swung back to their initial positions ready for the next letter which is placed in position but which cannot be fed between the rollers d d owing to the lingers h2 separating the moving letter from the one just laid on the table. The cams g and la. are arranged so that they allow their respective mechanisms to come into action at the proper time to insure the correct distance from one letter to the other as copied on the paper a.

The paper cutting mechanism hereinafter described may be actuated automatically, during the rotation of the copying rollers (Z cl by the usual crank handlef through spur gearing (Fig. 1) or it may be disconnected and actuated by hand. For this purpose I provide a rock shaft 7c (Figs. 3 and 4) which extends across the machine and is carried in suitable bearings, one end of this shaft having fixed thereon an arm lo provided with a wheel 7a2 which runs in a cam groove 7c3 formed in the inner face of the driving wheel Z which is fixed on the shaft Z2 of the copying roller CZ. The other end of the shaft 7c has fixed thereto an arm ist formed as a quadrant plate with a hole or notch los therein, and also carries loosely thereon a lever m, the upper end of which is formed as a handle m and the lower end ofwhich is connected by a link m2 to the sliding cutter frame. rlhe lever m is provided with a suitable bolt m3, or similar locking device, which may be caused to engage with the hole or notch 705 in the quadrant plate 764 when it is desired to lock the two together and actuate the paper cutting mechanism automatically at predetermined intervals, so as to sever the paper into similar predetermined lengths. By withdrawing the locking device m3, the paper cutting` mechanism may be actuated by hand by means of the handle m when dissimilar lengths of paper are to be secured. Preferably, the cam 7c3 the spur wheel Z and the grooved wheel Z are formed integral as shown in Fig. 4. The grooved wheel Z serves for rotating the draw roller hereinafter described by means of a belt or band Z2 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 5 and G the draw roller is formed of a number of velvet covered drums or cylinders a xed to a common spindle n', the spaces betweenthe drums or cylinders accommodating fingers n2 formed on the guard plate n3 which prevent the' damp paper a passing too far around thev draw roller before becoming detached. The

jockey or idle roller which rests against the velvet roller is preferably formed with a number of toothed, ribbed, or milled cylin- Vdrical surfaces 0 in order to insure its rotation in contact with the damp paper andr prevent the adherence of the paper to the jockey roller.

The damp paper a. passes to the draw roller over a bar or roller p which causes the letter to become detached and pass onward down the letter tray p which is detachably fitted to the main frame f, the paper L passing downward between the two cutters of the paper cutting mechanism. This mechanism comprises a pivoted cutter frame a, carrying a cutting blade and supporting the guard plate n3, and a sliding cutter frame s to which the operating link m2 is pivoted as shown in Fig. l, the cutter frame s being provid-ed with a cutting blade and being mounted in suitable guides s3 s4. @wing to the continued progress of vthe paper however, the cut across the paper is more or less oblique instead of being at ya right angle to the side edges. This de-` fect I overcome by utilizingl the back guard 7^ as a clamp to hold the paper during the cutting operation.

For this purpose, the

guard, which is pivoted at 7^ is provided with a pin r2 pivoted thereto and passing through a bracket r3 attached to the sliding cutter frame 8'; a spring r4 is interposed between the bracket and the guard 1^ and a 70 nut 705 is fitted to the end of the pin. It will thus be seen that the first part of the movement of the cutter frame s is imparted to th e guard r through the spring r4 pressing and clamping the paper a against the pivoted cutter frame s (or against the lower end of the guard plate 71,3), the spring allowing the full movement of .the cutter frame s to be effected. In the meantime the paper guards n3 and 1" as shown by the dotted curved line, but when the sliding frame s has nearly returned to its original position the guard 1" returns from the clamping position and allows the accumulated paper to g5 fall through between the two cutters.

For collecting the severed vportions of paper strip as they fall from the cutting mechanism a collecting bar t is iiXed-to the sliding cutter frame s as described in my before mentioned specification. On operating the cutting mechanism the paper a is pressed against the side of the bar t by a frame u pivotally mounted in connection with the side arms o which are operated by the cutting mechanism by contact with the sliding cutter frame s (see Fig. l), aV spring u being employed to control the motion of the frame u. A dependingplate fw is iXed to the arm o and serves at the moment of severing, to throw the upper part of the paper over the bar t so that it vbecomes suspended thereby.

In order to provide for the various widths of paper which may be used and to insure equal tension or drag for all widths, one or both of the supporting pins (Fig. 7) is or are formed with grooves ai at vdistances apart corresponding to the various widths of paper commonly used, and the pins are fixed after l adjustment in their supporting sockets by binding or set screws x2 which entei said grooves. The inner end of each pin is reduced in diameter and there carries a rotary head y formed with studs y y2, or other 1F15 devices to engage the roller c which carries the roll of paper z, a dished or like spring metal plate f being interposed between the head y and the shoulder on the pin formed by the said reduced part, to provide the necessary resistance to the rotation of the head and thereby apply the drag to the roll of paper as 'it unwinds.

l. In a multiple copying machine, therlw25 combination of a paper damping device, a pair of copying rollers, an elevated roller over which the damped paper passes downward to said copying rollers, a feed prest.. sure roller, operating means for said feed has accumulated between the 80 pressure roller, supporting fingers for the forward end of the letter, operating means for said supporting lingers, and downwardly projecting guides for the forward end of the letter', as set forth.

2. In a multiple copying' machine, the combination with a paper damping device, a pair of copying rollers and an adjustable pressure roller, of an elevated roller, an ad- -justable supporting frame for said elevated roller, a feed pressure roller, a frame carrying said feed pressure roller, actuating means for said frame, downwardly projecting guides on said frame, supporting lingers for the letter, a frame carrying said supporting lingers, and actuating means for the finger frame, as set forth.

3. In a multiple copying' machine, the combination with a paper damping device and a pair of copying rollers, of an elevated roller, an adjustable supporting frame for said roller, a feed pressure roller, a pivoted frame carrying said feed pressure roller, downwardly projecting lingers on said frame, letter supporting fingers intel-lacing with the lingers first named, a pivoted frame carrying said supporting fingers, and cams rotated with the main copying roller adapted to actuate the feed roller frame and the supporting lingers frame, as set forth.

et. In a multiple copying machine, a letter feeding device comprising an elevated roller `from which the dampened paper passes downward to the copying rollers, a feed pressure roller carried bya pivoted frame, downwardly projecting fingers on said frame, letter supporting fingers interlacing with Vthe lingers first named, the downwardly projecting fingers guiding the letter between the dampened paper and the copying rollers, a pivoted frame carryino' said supporting lingers, and cams rotatively connected with the main copying roller to actuate the pivoted frames atthe proper time, as set forth.

5. In a multiple copying machine, the `combination with a paper damping device and a pair of copying rollers, of a letter supporting' device, a letter feed roller, a letter guiding device, a paper cutting mechanism, an automatic operating train for said paper cutting mechanism and including an 4element which may be operated by hand,

and a disconnecting device to dissociate the hand operated element from the driving elements of said train whereby the paper cutting mechanism may be operated by hand, as set forth.

6. In a multiple copying machine, an alternative operating device for the paper cutting mechanism, comprising a rock shaft mounted in the main frame, an arm fixed on said rock shaft, a cam rotatively connected with the main copying roller and operating said arm, a quadrant arm fixed on said rock shaft, a lever loosely mounted on said rock shaft, means connecting the lower end of said lever to the paper cutting mechanism, a handle on the upper end of said lever, and an interlocking device connecting said level' with said quadrant arm, as set forth.

7. The combination with a multiple co )ying machine having a paper damping cevice and a pair of copying rollers, of a supporting pin for the roll of paper formed with annular grooves at a distance apart corresponding to the various widths of paper used, a socket or bearing for said pin, and fixing means in said socket or bearing engaging in any one of said grooves, as setforth.

8. The combination with a multiple copying machine having a paper damping device and a pair of copying rollers, of a supporting pin for the roll of paper formed with annular grooves, a bearing for said pin, fixing means for said pin, a rotary head on said pin adapted to engage the roll of paper, and a resilient retarding device interposed between said rotary head and said pin, as set forth.

9. In a multiple copying machine having a paper damping device and a pair of copying rollers, a draw roller composed of a number of velvet covered drums or cylin ders fixed to a common spindle, a jockey or idle roller formed with a longitudinal ribbed periphery, and a guard plate formed with fingers projecting into the spaces between said drums or cylinders, as set forth.

lO. In a multiple copying machine having a paper damping device, a pair of copying rollers, and a paper cutting mechanism, the combination of a draw roller composed of a number of drums or cylinders, an idle ribbed 105 roller, a guard plate .formed with lingers projecting between said drums or cylinders, and a clamping device for the paper operated by the moving portion of the paper cutting mechanism as set forth.

11. In a multiple copying machine having a paper damping device, a pair of copying rollers, a guard plate and a paper cutting mechanism, a paper clamping device comprising a pivoted back guard, and a resilient 115 connection with the moving part of the paper cutting mechanism adapted to press said back guard against said guard plate, as set forth.

12. In a machine of the type set forth, a 120 roller for supporting a paper roll, a slipporting pin for the roller, a head provided on the pin for engagement with the roller to cause' the pin to turn therewith, and a resilient retarding device interposed between 125 said rotary head and a shoulder of the pin.

13. In a machine of the type set forth, a roller for supporting a paper roll, a supporting pin for the roller, a head provided on the pin for engagement with the roller t0 130 ing spaced paper engaging cause the pin to turn therewith and a resilient retarding device for engagement with said head.

14:. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with copying rollers, means for feeding a dampened sheet between the copy- 'ing rollers, and a letter table, of an intermittent feed device fortransferring the letters singly and successively from the table to a posit-ion between one of the copying 'rollers and the dampened sheet, said device Vcomprising two series of mterlacmg lingers,

movable into and out of interlacing relation,

said lingers in interlacing relation serving as Ithe combination with copying rollers, means lfor feeding a dampened sheet between the copying rollers, and a letter table, of a letter feed roller bodily movable to eect the transfer of a letter to one of the copying rollers, and guide fingers bodily movable coextensively with the letter feed roller to deflect the letter transferred by the feed roller between the said copying roller and the dampened sheet.

16. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a pair of copying rollers, of means for feeding a dampened sheet between the copying rollers and including a frame pivoted adjacent the copying rollers and provided with a roller over which the dampened sheet passes, said last named roller being so positioned as to form a bight in the dampened sheet before its passage through the copying rollers.

17. In a multiple copying machine, copying rollers, means for feeding a dampened sheet continuously between the copying rollers, a sheet cutting device, means for intermittently operating the sheet cutting device, and means for temporarily and intermittently clamping the paper in advance of the sheet cutting device and during the sheet cutting operations.

i 18; In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a pair of copying rollers and a paper cutting mechanism, of a draw roller interposed between the copying rollers and the cutting mechanism and comprisdrums, and a guard plate disposed under the draw roller and provided with fingers which project into the spaces between the drums.

19. In a multiple copyin machine, the combination with copying ro lers, sheet cutting mechanism and a draw roller interposed between the copying rollers and the sheet cutting mechanism, mechanism interposed between the draw roller and the sheet cutting mechanism.

20. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a draw roller and sheet cutting mechanism, of means for intermittently operating the sheet cutting mechanism, a paper clamping mechanism interposed between the draw roller and the sheet cutting mechanism, and means for intermittently operating the paper clamping mechanism.

21. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a draw roller and sheet cutting mechanism including a movable blade of a stationary guard plate interposed between the draw roller and the sheet cutting mechanism, and a clamping plate associated with the movable blade for movement therewith and cooperating with the guard plate to clamp the sheet of paper fed over the draw roller during the sheet cutting operation.

22. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a draw roller and sheet cutting mechanism including a movable blade, of a stationary guard plate interposed between the draw roller and the sheet cutting mechanism, a clamping plate for c0- operation with the guard plate to clamp the sheet fed over the draw roller during the sheet cutting operation, and resilient connections between the movable blade and the clamping plate to cause the movement of the latter with the former.

23. In a multiple copying machine, the combination with a pair of copying rollers, means for feeding a dampened sheet therebetween, and a letter table, of means for deflecting a letter transferred from the letter table between said dampened sheet and one of the copying rollers, and means movable relatively to said deflecting means and intermittently cooperating therewith as a stop to separate the letter passing between said dampened sheet and said copying roller from the adjacent letter on said table.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- IIGSSGS.

VILLIAM STABLEFORD.

lVitnesses Ci-rAs. S. IFIYER, JAMES Ii. Norms, Jr.

of a sheet clampingk 

